Chapter Forty Six
It is late and I am sleeping in the children's room. I see Captain appear to check on my playmates. He does this every night to make sure they are well. He checks on Carolyn too.
Captain, I acknowledge sleepily.
He nods to me and I raise my head to look at him.
You did a nice thing, Captain. You helped my playmate.
"I could do no less," he whispers to me.
You gave him a way to win.
"Now he thinks less of me. He thinks I am some old doddering fool who cannot remember anything."
"No, I don't," Jonathan rubbed sleepy eyes and sat up.
"I'm sorry, lad, I did not mean to wake you, I just wanted to make sure you are all right. You and Candy." The Captain was startled that the boy had woken up.
"It's okay." He paused and looked at the Captain. "It's not true, you know."
"What isn't true?"
"I don't think you're a fool. You mean too much to me, you're like my Dad." Jonathan's expression is heartfelt and he means every word.
"And you are like my son," Captain whispers and I wonder if he is about to cry, or if he can cry?
"Good," Jonathan says and settles back in bed. "Goodnight, Captain."
"Goodnight Jonathan," there is wonderment in Captain's voice.
I am happy to have witnessed this moment; we really are like a family now. I watch as Captain nods to me and disappears. Then I go to sleep too.